Curtin Malaysia and UNIQLO partner to build global career pathways for future talent

Miri, Sarawak – 28 September 2026 – Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) and UNIQLO Malaysia are joining forces to give students greater access to industry experience, professional development and global career opportunities, through a new strategic partnership that brings together academic learning and the realities of a global retail business.

The two organisations formalised their collaboration on 24 September by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Curtin Malaysia, marking the beginning of a Talent Development Programme, designed to give students practical exposure to the retail industry while building the skills, confidence, and global perspectives needed to navigate an increasingly interconnected workforce.

The partnership builds on UNIQLO Malaysia’s recent engagement with Curtin Malaysia through the Curtin Malaysia X MYFutureJobs Careers Fair 2026, where UNIQLO Malaysia was among the participating employers connecting with students, graduates and job seekers.

UNIQLO Malaysia also contributed to the Careers Fair’s industry forum on “From Classroom to Career in an AI-Powered Workplace”, with Evelyn Tan, Legal and Human Resource Director of UNIQLO Malaysia, joining industry leaders on the panel to share insights into changing workplace expectations, recruitment and career readiness.

Held on 13 and 14 August, the Careers Fair brought together over 50 organisations and more than 1,500 students, job seekers and members of the public, providing a platform for direct engagement between employers and prospective talent.

Building on this engagement, the new MoU will deepen collaboration between Curtin Malaysia and UNIQLO Malaysia through four key initiatives: the Global Management Programme (GMP), Internship Experience, On-Campus Engagement, and Marketing & Promotion.

Through these initiatives, students from Curtin Malaysia will gain opportunities to engage directly with professionals from UNIQLO, gain practical insights into the retail industry, and develop skills that complement their academic learning. The partnership will also give students greater visibility into how a global retail business operates across markets, as well as the career pathways available within a global organisation.

For UNIQLO Malaysia, the partnership forms part of its ongoing commitment to developing people and nurturing future talent as it continues to grow its business in Malaysia and strengthen its global operations. By working closely with universities, UNIQLO Malaysia aims to create earlier and more meaningful connections with young talent while giving students opportunities to learn from the company’s people, business and global perspective.

The signing ceremony brought together senior representatives from Curtin Malaysia, Fast Retailing Co., Ltd. and UNIQLO Malaysia.

Representing Curtin Malaysia were Professor Tuong-Thuy Vu, Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor, on behalf of Professor Vincent Lee Chieng Chen, Pro Vice-Chancellor, President and Chief Executive, and Professor Pauline Ho, Dean of the Faculty of Business, together with academic staff from the Faculty of Business.

Representing Fast Retailing Co., Ltd. were Noriaki Koyama, Senior Group Executive Officer, and James Lee, Manager of Global Human Resources. UNIQLO (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. was represented by Tan Suan Ching (Evelyn), Director of Legal and Human Resources, and Audrey Tho Bee Ching, Manager of Human Resources.

Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Vu said the partnership was fundamentally about developing people and creating meaningful pathways from university to the workplace.

“Today’s signing represents our shared commitment to developing the next generation of talent and creating stronger pathways between higher education and the world of work,” he said.

He added that preparing students for the future required more than academic excellence, with real-world experience, industry exposure and professional competencies increasingly important in a competitive and rapidly evolving global workforce.

“By working closely with industry partners such as UNIQLO, we are ensuring that our students benefit from valuable practical experiences and gain the skills, confidence and global perspectives required to succeed in the modern workforce,” he said.

Meanwhile, Noriaki Koyama, Senior Group Executive Officer of Fast Retailing Co., Ltd., said the partnership would build on UNIQLO’s existing engagement with Curtin Malaysia and provide students with meaningful opportunities to experience the realities of a global retail business while enabling the company to engage with emerging talent.

“Developing local talent is an important part of how we continue to grow our business in Malaysia. Through this partnership with Curtin Malaysia, we hope to create more opportunities for students to build their careers with UNIQLO, gain experience across different parts of our business in Malaysia and overseas, and broaden their perspectives through exposure to our global operations. In the longer term, we hope these experiences will help nurture talent who can take on leadership roles and contribute to the continued growth of our business in Malaysia,” he said.

The partnership reflects a shared commitment by Curtin Malaysia and UNIQLO to strengthen the connection between academia and industry. By combining Curtin Malaysia’s academic environment with UNIQLO’s global business experience, the collaboration aims to give students a more holistic understanding of the workplace and support the development of talent equipped to pursue careers in an increasingly interconnected global economy.

Prof Tuong-Thuy Vu (right) and Noriaki Koyama display the signed MoU documents.

Noriaki Koyama (3rd left) sharing his thoughts with Prof Tuong-Thuy Vu (3rd right) and Curtin Malaysia leaders.

Prof Tuong-Thuy Vu (8th left), Noriaki Koyama (6th right) in group photo with representatives from Curtin Malaysia and Fast Retailing Co., Ltd and UNIQLO Malaysia